[Phlebotomy] Veterinary Supplies for Drawing Blood

When preparing for blood collection from your pet patients, having the right veterinary phlebotomy supplies at hand is essential for an effective and safe process. It is advisable to assemble all necessary tools and materials before proceeding into the examination room.

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1) Selecting the Right Syringe

The first step involves choosing an appropriately sized syringe based on the volume of blood required for testing purposes. Following that, you will select a needle size that corresponds to both the amount of blood you need and the size of the pet. For minimal blood tests, such as heartworm or FeLV/FIV tests that only require a few drops, a tuberculin syringe will suffice. In contrast, for more extensive tests like a complete blood panel, a 6 cc syringe might be suitable. Basic CBC and Chemistry tests typically require a 3 cc syringe. For most pets, 22g needles are commonly used, while larger dogs may necessitate a 20g needle, and an 18g needle is often appropriate for blood donations from larger dogs.

In instances involving cats, if the animal is uncooperative during a jugular stick, consider utilizing a butterfly catheter to draw blood from the medial saphenous vein. To ensure a clean procedure, have alcohol ready for disinfecting the animal's skin or fur before sample collection.

2) Preparation for Blood Tubes

Knowing which blood tubes are essential for your tests is crucial. Below is an overview of the most frequently used tubes and their contents:

Purple/Lavender-Top Tube

• This tube contains EDTA as the anticoagulant, effectively preventing coagulation by binding to calcium ions, which are necessary for clotting.
• Cell constituents maintain stability for up to 24 hours in this tube.
• It is predominantly used for conducting complete blood counts (CBC), hematocrit/packed cell volume, and reticulocyte counts (which pertain to immature erythrocytes).
• Purple tops are also pertinent for collecting bodily fluids that might coagulate when analyzing samples from body cavities.
• These samples are not centrifuged as there are no clots to separate.

Speckled Red-Top Tube (Tiger Top)

• These are serum separator tubes, containing a clot activator along with gel for serum separation.
• They are mainly used for chemistry panels to assess laboratory values, including tests across multiple parameters like BUN, creatinine, ALT, and more.

Plain Red-Top Tube

• This tube can be glass (without additives) or plastic (with clot activators).
• They are utilized in immunology and specialized tests, including monitoring drug levels.
• Additionally, they can be sterile containers for culture samples, like urine.

Light Blue-Top Tube

• With sodium citrate as an anticoagulant, these tubes require precise filling to the recommended level to ensure accurate results.
• They are used for testing coagulation disorders, including Prothrombin time and other related assays.

Green-Top Tube

• These tubes are designed for plasma separation and contain heparin, which inhibits coagulation processes.
• They yield a whole blood/plasma sample for further analysis.

Gray-Top Tube

• These tubes feature sodium fluoride, which acts mainly as a glucose preservative.
• They are particularly important when glucose measurements are necessary, especially if sample processing may be delayed.

3) Proper Tube Labeling

Once samples are collected, it is imperative to meticulously label all tubes with the patient’s full name and the date, especially in cases involving multiple blood draws. To prevent cross-contamination or misidentification, it is recommended to remove the needle before transferring blood into the collection tubes. Rapid filling due to vacuum can occasionally lead to the lysis of cells; therefore, it’s best to allow the blood to flow naturally rather than forcing it in swiftly.

For specialist advice regarding your needs in PET Blood Collection Tube factory, feel free to get in touch with our knowledgeable sales team, who can assist you in determining the most suitable options.

This information is crucial for obtaining a comprehensive patient history.